FIFA backs VAR yellow card reversal in United States-Paraguay game

FIFA is understood to support the decision to book Paraguay's Miguel Almiron under the updated mistaken identity rules in their defeat to the United States on Friday.

Referee Danny Makkelie initially booked US defender Tim Ream for fouling Almiron, but this was reviewed by VAR and overturned after replays showed Almiron had dived.

Makkelie stopped play for the review to take place and it is understood the only part FIFA felt should have been different was the restart – a dropped ball instead of a US free-kick, because play had restarted when Makkelie blew his whistle.

Had Makkelie not booked Ream, the incident would not have been one the VAR could review.

Under changes for next season, which are being applied by FIFA at the World Cup, the VAR can intervene in a case of mistaken identity where "a player (is) wrongly shown a yellow or red card when the offence was committed by another player of either team; the offence itself cannot be reviewed except in the context of mistaken identity."

Referees are dealing with a raft of changes at these finals, including countdowns at throw-ins and goal kicks, VAR checks on corners, time limits on substitutions and VAR checks on clearly incorrect second yellow cards.